Addie Henderson I will write my answers in purple so they are easy to distinguish from the provided text and questions.
Trifles Worksheet
You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, August, 25). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0. You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points, if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Trifles. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” At the beginning of the play etc.
The Setting for Trifles is early 20th Century America in 1916 on a farm in the rural midwest. This time period is a tough one for women. Women cannot vote and cannot sit in on a jury. The scene breaks with the cast entering into the kitchen of a farmhouse owned by a neighbor and peer, Mr. Wright. It is early afternoon and the entire cast of the play enters at once. We have the Sheriff and his wife Mrs. Peters, Mr. Hale and his wife Mrs. Hale, and the County Attorney, Mr. Henderson. The reader is shown a clear sex divide immediately. The men stomp in and go directly to the fire showing confidence and ownership and the women hang back obviously uncomfortable coming into someone's house without being welcomed in which shows timidness, caution, and reluctance. It becomes obvious that the men are there to inspect what seems to have been a crime committed in the house. Neither of the owners (Mr. and Mrs. Wright) are there so we assume it has to do with them.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
There are really two major increasingly climatic points of the play.
1.) The first point is when we as a reader understand that they have taken Mrs. Wright into custody as the main subject of suspicion in the murder of her husband, Mr. Wright. All the men are there to gather information and supposed evidence into John Wright's murder. The women have come along with them men to gather some things to bring to Mrs. Wright while she is in jail. This immediately develops the baseline for the reader in understanding what the play is about and what roles will be played by the two distinctively separate sexes.
2.) The second major turning point is when the women find a piece of evidence that they believe has given the murder a motive. If the women are correct then Mrs. Wright would be named the murderess. This turning point puts the entire play at a head and forces the two women to make a choice. Through their choice Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters completely transform and seem to find a voice of their own. The two women were so timid and so shy at the opening scene, which are stereotypical qualities of women at this point in time. The men leave the women in the room which shows what they think of the women. The men look at the women as timid second rate people. The idea that the women could perhaps do something that they would not do or support does not even cross their mind. Women are too timid and fragile to do anything remotely considered treacherous by a man! Once the women are left alone, they began to talk openly about their peer Mrs. Wright. They revert to her maiden name which signifies a cut away from her husband. The women are there to find things for Mrs.Wright that they can bring to her to offer comfort while in jail. While looking for her quilting supplies the two women find a piece of evidence and they decide to conceal it from the men. This one decision shows a sign of female unity even though the women are almost sure Mrs. Wright has committed the crime at this point. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters choose to support Mrs.Wright even knowing she is guilty. This female unity theme is strengthened when the County Attorney, Mr. Henderson, specifically states how he trusts Mrs. Peters because she "is married to the law" since she is the Sheriff's wife. She ignores this comment which is monumental because though this comment verbalizes a sense of duty that Mrs. Peters might feel she still ignores it in favor of a woman who she did not even know very well. She has actively chosen a side at this point along with Mrs.Hale who might be forgiven for choosing Mrs. Wrights side because she knew Mrs. Wright as a little girl and looked up to her.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
During this time period (early to mid 20th century) Women were considered by the vast majority to be second class citizens and to be their husbands property. As stated above, they cannot vote and they can not be on a jury which highlights how Mrs.Wrights trial will undoubtedly be biased. For a woman to have an opinion or to do anything completely different than what her husband allowed or wanted her to do was extremely rare. I believe the author chose for the events to take place during this time period because they would resonate more with the audience because of the known restrictions on women during this time. It also highlights how this situation unfolded and though killing is not justice. Mrs. Wright got justice in the only way that she could have at this time. It was heavily hinted that Mr.Wright was thought to have beaten his wife. This behavior would have been looked on with pity but never with a firm hand by the law because it was considered a domestic discussion and issue. Since women were still considered property, divorce was not even an option. Even if the Mrs. Wright could find a way to get divorced she would most likely be ostracized from her community. Two major events showcase out of the ordinary female response in my opinion. The first being the supposed murder of Mr. Wright by Mrs. Wright over his killing of her bird. Though it seems a massive overreaction the reasoning behind the murder seems to be clear. The meaning behind the murder is even more monumental. Mr. Wright was described as being a joyless man who drained his wife of any happiness. She replaced this happiness with what she could using what resources she had. In a time period where women do not have a voice, divorce is not an option. She was stuck in a loveless marriage with a man who was hinted at being an abuser. When he took her happiness and joy away from her she had had enough and she ended his life. That a woman would say enough is enough, defy her husband, and put a stop to something is crucial to this play's undertone. It highlights a sense of female unity and strength. This sense of independence and decision making is ignorantly overlooked by the men as they simplify the women with their comment of "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles." Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters seem to be able to connect with Mrs.Wright once the put the facts together. This leads to the second major event. That being the women's decision to conceal the dead bird from the men which would undoubtedly cast Mrs. Wright into the main subject chair in this murder. Their decision showcases a sense of independence these women feel and act upon in a time period where they are given no independence and individualism and are even looked at as not being able to have it.
This individualism and independence that in turn turns into female unity is what writes the undercurrent for this play. These women choose to conceal things form their husbands, the law, and men in general to protect a fellow woman even though they are at this point 95% sure she is the killer. Even though they have both not seen her is a long time and do not really consider themselves close friends. This is what they chose. They chose to support their fellow women an dI am sure it is because they too understand what it feels like to experience this form of women separation.
4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
1.) Will the men find the evidence they need to convict Mrs. Wright? 2.) Once found, Will the women turn over the evidence the men need to convict Mrs. Wright? 3.) (in a way) Will Mrs. Wright be convicted?
5. Use Mrs. Hale to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for Ms. Hale.
Following Bells Example you can clearly state that the obstacles that frustrate Mrs. Hale are "Me against society" and "Me against myself." Understanding this Mrs. Hale becomes a conflicted character. You can noticeably read the conflict in Mrs. Hales characters script. She is seemingly loyal to her sex in the way that she stands up to the men with small comments that defend Mrs.Wright when the men degrade her. Something the men call her out on yet she finds herself trying to make excuses for what she is saying as if she does not want to be considered loyal to Mrs. Wright. She is in denial that Mrs. Wright did it for more than half of the play. It seems the entire cast know that Mrs. Wright was the one that killed her husband. The men are just there to find the evidence she did to convict her. The women know it as well yet instead of feeling like justice need to be brought to Mrs. Wright they feel a since of pity for her. Mrs.Hale reverts Mrs. Wright in her mind back to the version of her as a girl. This innocent and purity is what she keeps remembering as she walks through her kitchen. Mrs. Hale know her when they were both girls. At some point in the middle of the play Mrs. Hale starts to refer to her as Minnie Foster not Minnie Wright (Her maiden name). Instead of pulling away from Mrs. Wright she moves closer by holding onto happy identities and happy memories from when they were younger. As the play progresses you can see how Mrs. Hale disagrees with the way the men are handling it. She thinks its sneaky and rude the way they are going through Mrs. Wright's things without giving her a chance to defend herself. When the men openly laugh at the two women for talking about quilting that is when we see an obvious shift in Mrs. Hale. She resentfully makes a snide comment about the men and decides to carry our with the quilt stitching that Mrs. Wright left behind. I think at this point Mrs. Hale is over the men. She relates as a person already to Mrs.Wright (Someone she's known since she was young) and find the men more awful then a supposed main subject of a killing. Her side is chosen at this point. She wants Mrs. Wright to be innocent but everything she finds out proves to be otherwise. She eventually decides to side with Mrs. Wright and personally hides the evidence from the men. This is monumental because this is when the "Me against society" kicks in. She has already overcome the hurdle of "Me against myself" when she realized that she supports Mrs. Wright and actually feels really bad for her. She has the evidence and she has the power to present it to the men so they can carry on with their sentencing. This would be "justice by the law." Something that everyone is conditioned to support at a young age. She has to battle internally with her morals, what she has been told is right and make a choice. Her choice is eventually made. She wants Mrs. Wright to be innocent and free but when she sees that is not going to happen alone, she takes what steps she can on her part to try to help her get to that point in time. She ignores these men who are self important and who impose self imposed laws. She ignores the men who have belittled her unknowingly by disregarding and being rude to her peer woman. She makes a choice and conceals the evidence from the men. Me against Society is chosen.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation what is the most theatrical moment in Trifles and what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play?
The most theatrical moment for me was when Mrs. Hale grabs the box concealing the dead bird from Mrs. Peters and shoves it into her coat so to conceal it from the men who are returning to the kitchen. This dramatic showcase definitely changed the direction the play was taking and answered our final dramatic question we had. It showed character development, change in relationship, gender defiance, female unity, and strength. These women basically remove the only source of actual evidence still needed to determine a motive. They seemingly protect Mrs. Wright at their own expense.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Trifles. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1.) The messily stitched quilt. This provides imagery for how Mrs.Wright probably was feeling and looking; eccentric, nervous, scared, pained, confused, and saddened. It also is a sign that she probably committed the murder. Something that the women who find her stitching believe as well. This is something that the men would overlook and never would have noticed. It also is a subtle jab at this time period that lowers women as a different class of citizen. The women find the evidence. The women find the clues, but they are not allowed in this profession or allowed to be on a jury because they are not deemed worthy enough or able.
2.) The dead bird. The dead bird was imagery for multiple reasons and was a part of a HUGE death motif in the play. The death of Mr. Wright, the death of Mrs. Wrights happiness, the death of the bird, The death of Mrs. Hales ignorance, the death of what was. It is all linked to the web that was the Wright's lives. The bird's wrung neck showcased it premature death. Premature death always causes sadness and feeling of loss. These feelings are what causes Mrs. Wright to act out and in turn might be what the resultant is for her in the end because of those actions she took. The mirrors her along her life. Her premature life ends if she's sentenced to jail. Her premature innocence taken away by a force greater than her.
3.) The smashed fruit preserves. The way the women were talking about Mrs. Wright it sounded like she was really concerned about her fruit preserves. The fact that they were shattered was imagery for her life. What she had for so long is forever changed by the death of her husband. What she has worked so hard for is taken away by forces greater than what she can control. Yes she acts out on her husband but at the turning point where she makes the decision to kill him the decision at that point almost is not even hers to make. She has had so much emotion pent up. She has had so much hidden for so long that it erupts out of her and she makes the act that defines this play. The Preserves are so minimal compared to that yet they represent the mundane things in life we take for granted. These mundane things that she will probably no longer get to participate in or experience.
Trifles is the name of the play so obviously it is connected somehow. The men make a reference to the women when they see the women are upset about the smashed fruit preserves. The women recognize the fruit preserves and the representation they present. The men do not, they say that women only worry about trifles and silly things. They try to make the women look stupid and childish for worrying about such things but they do not actually see that it has the opposite effect on the reader/audience. The reader/audience sees what the women see which is that the fruit preserves represent so much more for Mrs. Wright. This imagery associated with the preserves which then prompts the men to make fun of the women and their trifles which then goes on to show the division between the men and the women during this time period. The men have forced the women into a group and those very men who have separated the women from themselves as less than citizens could in turn be blamed for the death of their peer Mr. Wright and for their wives withholding information that they seek. They have caused the division that causes the women to find comfort and strength in womanly unity and support. The men have pushed this minority to the edge and it is no wonder they find strength in what little they have, each other. This prompts them to support their peer Mrs. Wright even though they do not know why they are doing it. They support her and make a choice subconsciously that bleeds into their conscious actions.
An extra imagery example would be the title itself, Trifles. If you look up the definition of Trifles on google there are two results
1.) "a thing of little value or importance."
2.) "a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream."
These two definitions have huge meaning to the story and plot because they are both necessary to the story. The word itself exhibits a perfect foundation of the story. The men consider the women silly. They only care about silly unimportant things. These women who for ever have been considered "trifles" to these men who only think they care about actual desert trifles. They are objectified and looked at as innocent,and faultless.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Trifles.
Some themes are : Death, Gender Division, Feminine Unity, Male Ignorance, Homesteading/Farming, Western lifestyle, etc
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with Trifles? Is family redefined in Trifles?
Trifles is a play based on feminine unity. That is why this play is considered a feminist play. This play absolutely redefines relationships and family. these women, though so different, both choose to support a fellow woman instead of continuously supporting their husbands no matter what. I believe this is because they see a bit of themselves in Mrs.Wright. They know what she was going through. They know she is not intrinsically evil, just put into a bad spot where she perhaps felt like she had no out.
I will write my answers in purple so they are easy to distinguish from the provided text and questions.
Trifles Worksheet
You may earn a maximum of 3 points toward your final grade by doing the above and answering the questions and submitting them on time (no later than Friday, August, 25). Any worksheets submitted after the deadline will get a 0.
You will be rewarded a maximum of 3 points, if I judge your work to be above average. You will receive 2 points if your work is average, that is it may have a few minor mistakes in some of the answers but demonstrates correct grammar and indicates that some, but not all, of the answers, are acceptable and well expressed. You will earn only 1 point if you simply answered the questions and/or if you use poor grammar and if there are signs that you have not read the material on which your answers are based.
1. In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of Trifles. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” At the beginning of the play etc.
The Setting for Trifles is early 20th Century America in 1916 on a farm in the rural midwest. This time period is a tough one for women. Women cannot vote and cannot sit in on a jury. The scene breaks with the cast entering into the kitchen of a farmhouse owned by a neighbor and peer, Mr. Wright. It is early afternoon and the entire cast of the play enters at once. We have the Sheriff and his wife Mrs. Peters, Mr. Hale and his wife Mrs. Hale, and the County Attorney, Mr. Henderson. The reader is shown a clear sex divide immediately. The men stomp in and go directly to the fire showing confidence and ownership and the women hang back obviously uncomfortable coming into someone's house without being welcomed in which shows timidness, caution, and reluctance. It becomes obvious that the men are there to inspect what seems to have been a crime committed in the house. Neither of the owners (Mr. and Mrs. Wright) are there so we assume it has to do with them.
2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
There are really two major increasingly climatic points of the play.
1.) The first point is when we as a reader understand that they have taken Mrs. Wright into custody as the main subject of suspicion in the murder of her husband, Mr. Wright. All the men are there to gather information and supposed evidence into John Wright's murder. The women have come along with them men to gather some things to bring to Mrs. Wright while she is in jail. This immediately develops the baseline for the reader in understanding what the play is about and what roles will be played by the two distinctively separate sexes.
2.) The second major turning point is when the women find a piece of evidence that they believe has given the murder a motive. If the women are correct then Mrs. Wright would be named the murderess. This turning point puts the entire play at a head and forces the two women to make a choice. Through their choice Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters completely transform and seem to find a voice of their own.
The two women were so timid and so shy at the opening scene, which are stereotypical qualities of women at this point in time. The men leave the women in the room which shows what they think of the women. The men look at the women as timid second rate people. The idea that the women could perhaps do something that they would not do or support does not even cross their mind. Women are too timid and fragile to do anything remotely considered treacherous by a man!
Once the women are left alone, they began to talk openly about their peer Mrs. Wright. They revert to her maiden name which signifies a cut away from her husband. The women are there to find things for Mrs.Wright that they can bring to her to offer comfort while in jail. While looking for her quilting supplies the two women find a piece of evidence and they decide to conceal it from the men.
This one decision shows a sign of female unity even though the women are almost sure Mrs. Wright has committed the crime at this point. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters choose to support Mrs.Wright even knowing she is guilty. This female unity theme is strengthened when the County Attorney, Mr. Henderson, specifically states how he trusts Mrs. Peters because she "is married to the law" since she is the Sheriff's wife. She ignores this comment which is monumental because though this comment verbalizes a sense of duty that Mrs. Peters might feel she still ignores it in favor of a woman who she did not even know very well. She has actively chosen a side at this point along with Mrs.Hale who might be forgiven for choosing Mrs. Wrights side because she knew Mrs. Wright as a little girl and looked up to her.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
During this time period (early to mid 20th century) Women were considered by the vast majority to be second class citizens and to be their husbands property. As stated above, they cannot vote and they can not be on a jury which highlights how Mrs.Wrights trial will undoubtedly be biased. For a woman to have an opinion or to do anything completely different than what her husband allowed or wanted her to do was extremely rare. I believe the author chose for the events to take place during this time period because they would resonate more with the audience because of the known restrictions on women during this time. It also highlights how this situation unfolded and though killing is not justice. Mrs. Wright got justice in the only way that she could have at this time. It was heavily hinted that Mr.Wright was thought to have beaten his wife. This behavior would have been looked on with pity but never with a firm hand by the law because it was considered a domestic discussion and issue. Since women were still considered property, divorce was not even an option. Even if the Mrs. Wright could find a way to get divorced she would most likely be ostracized from her community.
Two major events showcase out of the ordinary female response in my opinion.
The first being the supposed murder of Mr. Wright by Mrs. Wright over his killing of her bird. Though it seems a massive overreaction the reasoning behind the murder seems to be clear. The meaning behind the murder is even more monumental. Mr. Wright was described as being a joyless man who drained his wife of any happiness. She replaced this happiness with what she could using what resources she had. In a time period where women do not have a voice, divorce is not an option. She was stuck in a loveless marriage with a man who was hinted at being an abuser. When he took her happiness and joy away from her she had had enough and she ended his life. That a woman would say enough is enough, defy her husband, and put a stop to something is crucial to this play's undertone. It highlights a sense of female unity and strength. This sense of independence and decision making is ignorantly overlooked by the men as they simplify the women with their comment of "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles." Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters seem to be able to connect with Mrs.Wright once the put the facts together.
This leads to the second major event. That being the women's decision to conceal the dead bird from the men which would undoubtedly cast Mrs. Wright into the main subject chair in this murder. Their decision showcases a sense of independence these women feel and act upon in a time period where they are given no independence and individualism and are even looked at as not being able to have it.
This individualism and independence that in turn turns into female unity is what writes the undercurrent for this play. These women choose to conceal things form their husbands, the law, and men in general to protect a fellow woman even though they are at this point 95% sure she is the killer. Even though they have both not seen her is a long time and do not really consider themselves close friends. This is what they chose. They chose to support their fellow women an dI am sure it is because they too understand what it feels like to experience this form of women separation.
4. State the dramatic question or questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
1.) Will the men find the evidence they need to convict Mrs. Wright?
2.) Once found, Will the women turn over the evidence the men need to convict Mrs. Wright?
3.) (in a way) Will Mrs. Wright be convicted?
5. Use Mrs. Hale to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is the dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what the character wants (NOTE: In Trifles the wants of Ms. Hale change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles for Ms. Hale.
Following Bells Example you can clearly state that the obstacles that frustrate Mrs. Hale are "Me against society" and "Me against myself."
Understanding this Mrs. Hale becomes a conflicted character. You can noticeably read the conflict in Mrs. Hales characters script. She is seemingly loyal to her sex in the way that she stands up to the men with small comments that defend Mrs.Wright when the men degrade her. Something the men call her out on yet she finds herself trying to make excuses for what she is saying as if she does not want to be considered loyal to Mrs. Wright. She is in denial that Mrs. Wright did it for more than half of the play. It seems the entire cast know that Mrs. Wright was the one that killed her husband. The men are just there to find the evidence she did to convict her. The women know it as well yet instead of feeling like justice need to be brought to Mrs. Wright they feel a since of pity for her. Mrs.Hale reverts Mrs. Wright in her mind back to the version of her as a girl. This innocent and purity is what she keeps remembering as she walks through her kitchen. Mrs. Hale know her when they were both girls. At some point in the middle of the play Mrs. Hale starts to refer to her as Minnie Foster not Minnie Wright (Her maiden name). Instead of pulling away from Mrs. Wright she moves closer by holding onto happy identities and happy memories from when they were younger. As the play progresses you can see how Mrs. Hale disagrees with the way the men are handling it. She thinks its sneaky and rude the way they are going through Mrs. Wright's things without giving her a chance to defend herself. When the men openly laugh at the two women for talking about quilting that is when we see an obvious shift in Mrs. Hale. She resentfully makes a snide comment about the men and decides to carry our with the quilt stitching that Mrs. Wright left behind. I think at this point Mrs. Hale is over the men. She relates as a person already to Mrs.Wright (Someone she's known since she was young) and find the men more awful then a supposed main subject of a killing. Her side is chosen at this point. She wants Mrs. Wright to be innocent but everything she finds out proves to be otherwise. She eventually decides to side with Mrs. Wright and personally hides the evidence from the men. This is monumental because this is when the "Me against society" kicks in. She has already overcome the hurdle of "Me against myself" when she realized that she supports Mrs. Wright and actually feels really bad for her. She has the evidence and she has the power to present it to the men so they can carry on with their sentencing. This would be "justice by the law." Something that everyone is conditioned to support at a young age. She has to battle internally with her morals, what she has been told is right and make a choice. Her choice is eventually made. She wants Mrs. Wright to be innocent and free but when she sees that is not going to happen alone, she takes what steps she can on her part to try to help her get to that point in time. She ignores these men who are self important and who impose self imposed laws. She ignores the men who have belittled her unknowingly by disregarding and being rude to her peer woman. She makes a choice and conceals the evidence from the men. Me against Society is chosen.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. In your estimation what is the most theatrical moment in Trifles and what happens during that moment which is so important to the outcome of the play?
The most theatrical moment for me was when Mrs. Hale grabs the box concealing the dead bird from Mrs. Peters and shoves it into her coat so to conceal it from the men who are returning to the kitchen. This dramatic showcase definitely changed the direction the play was taking and answered our final dramatic question we had. It showed character development, change in relationship, gender defiance, female unity, and strength. These women basically remove the only source of actual evidence still needed to determine a motive. They seemingly protect Mrs. Wright at their own expense.
7. Provide at least three examples of images in Trifles. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
1.) The messily stitched quilt. This provides imagery for how Mrs.Wright probably was feeling and looking; eccentric, nervous, scared, pained, confused, and saddened. It also is a sign that she probably committed the murder. Something that the women who find her stitching believe as well. This is something that the men would overlook and never would have noticed. It also is a subtle jab at this time period that lowers women as a different class of citizen. The women find the evidence. The women find the clues, but they are not allowed in this profession or allowed to be on a jury because they are not deemed worthy enough or able.
2.) The dead bird. The dead bird was imagery for multiple reasons and was a part of a HUGE death motif in the play. The death of Mr. Wright, the death of Mrs. Wrights happiness, the death of the bird, The death of Mrs. Hales ignorance, the death of what was. It is all linked to the web that was the Wright's lives. The bird's wrung neck showcased it premature death. Premature death always causes sadness and feeling of loss. These feelings are what causes Mrs. Wright to act out and in turn might be what the resultant is for her in the end because of those actions she took. The mirrors her along her life. Her premature life ends if she's sentenced to jail. Her premature innocence taken away by a force greater than her.
3.) The smashed fruit preserves. The way the women were talking about Mrs. Wright it sounded like she was really concerned about her fruit preserves. The fact that they were shattered was imagery for her life. What she had for so long is forever changed by the death of her husband. What she has worked so hard for is taken away by forces greater than what she can control. Yes she acts out on her husband but at the turning point where she makes the decision to kill him the decision at that point almost is not even hers to make. She has had so much emotion pent up. She has had so much hidden for so long that it erupts out of her and she makes the act that defines this play. The Preserves are so minimal compared to that yet they represent the mundane things in life we take for granted. These mundane things that she will probably no longer get to participate in or experience.
Trifles is the name of the play so obviously it is connected somehow. The men make a reference to the women when they see the women are upset about the smashed fruit preserves. The women recognize the fruit preserves and the representation they present. The men do not, they say that women only worry about trifles and silly things. They try to make the women look stupid and childish for worrying about such things but they do not actually see that it has the opposite effect on the reader/audience. The reader/audience sees what the women see which is that the fruit preserves represent so much more for Mrs. Wright. This imagery associated with the preserves which then prompts the men to make fun of the women and their trifles which then goes on to show the division between the men and the women during this time period. The men have forced the women into a group and those very men who have separated the women from themselves as less than citizens could in turn be blamed for the death of their peer Mr. Wright and for their wives withholding information that they seek. They have caused the division that causes the women to find comfort and strength in womanly unity and support. The men have pushed this minority to the edge and it is no wonder they find strength in what little they have, each other. This prompts them to support their peer Mrs. Wright even though they do not know why they are doing it. They support her and make a choice subconsciously that bleeds into their conscious actions.
An extra imagery example would be the title itself, Trifles. If you look up the definition of Trifles on google there are two results
1.) "a thing of little value or importance."
2.) "a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream."
These two definitions have huge meaning to the story and plot because they are both necessary to the story. The word itself exhibits a perfect foundation of the story. The men consider the women silly. They only care about silly unimportant things. These women who for ever have been considered "trifles" to these men who only think they care about actual desert trifles. They are objectified and looked at as innocent,and faultless.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Trifles.
Some themes are : Death, Gender Division, Feminine Unity, Male Ignorance, Homesteading/Farming, Western lifestyle, etc
9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with Trifles? Is family redefined in Trifles?
Trifles is a play based on feminine unity. That is why this play is considered a feminist play. This play absolutely redefines relationships and family. these women, though so different, both choose to support a fellow woman instead of continuously supporting their husbands no matter what. I believe this is because they see a bit of themselves in Mrs.Wright. They know what she was going through. They know she is not intrinsically evil, just put into a bad spot where she perhaps felt like she had no out.